Dog in a Hot Vineyard

Courier Countryside Column for 9^th August 2013

Myrtle likes the vines. They are spaced conveniently so a dog can pass easily between them, and pruned so growth only starts above dog height. She runs happily in and out of their serried ranks despite the temperature. It’s lucky she does enjoy them because there’s not much other countryside around here in the Languedoc. At home in Kent, livestock and arable thrive side by side with fruit and forestry. In this part of the south of France it’s not so much viticulture as monoculture. But perhaps that’s not so surprising since it’s the world’s largest grape growing area with 50,000 vignerons producing a staggering two billion bottles a year.

But where the trend in England is to ever larger farms, here small is beautiful.  Or at least commonplace. Many holdings are just a few acres and 70% of grapes go to the region’s 400 co-ops.

So on our early morning walks – we set off at around 7am to avoid the blistering heat of the day – the only people we encounter are those tending their vines. A few drive up and down on narrow tractors, but many inspect and even spray by hand. On our way back to the village we pass the vast Coteaux d'Abeilhan co-op, with its gleaming stainless steel fermentation vats and holding tanks. We’ve long wondered what actually happens to the thousands of gallons it must make.  We never see it in shops or supermarkets and, sad to say, we don’t much like it when we buy it direct from the co-op door. The draft vin en vrac from neighbouring villages is far preferable. 

But the industry is changing. An infusion of New World techniques both in production and marketing has dramatically improved Languedoc wine-making. Small domaines are increasing in number, specialising in lesser quantity but far better quality wine. In the past decade two more have joined the existing pair in our village and a fifth is coming on stream. They regularly eschew the traditional habit of blending grapes, opting instead for single varietals such as Merlot or Syrah. That means they are excluded from the old, inflexible Appellation Controlée or AOC system. So for consumers there is little option but to tour around and taste their wares in person. Something of a hardship as you may imagine.